FBI Stops New Year’s Eve Attack Plot in North Carolina
Charlotte, N.C. – The FBI announced Friday they stopped a planned New Year’s Eve attack targeting a grocery store and a fast-food restaurant in North Carolina. Christian Sturdivant, an 18-year-old, was arrested after allegedly pledging loyalty to the Islamic State group.
Sturdivant is charged with trying to give support to a foreign terrorist group. Investigators say he shared his attack plans with an undercover FBI agent.
Authorities say Sturdivant had a plan to use knives and a hammer in the attack. They found what they called a manifesto describing the plot in searches of his home and phone.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson said the target was Mint Hill, near Charlotte, at “places that we go every day.”
The FBI had Sturdivant under watch for days, worried he might act before New Year’s Eve. Agents were ready to arrest him if he left home with weapons. Ferguson assured the public that “At no point was the public in harm’s way.”
The FBI’s investigation started last month after Sturdivant was linked to a social media account supporting the Islamic State group.
This case highlights the ongoing threat from radical Islamic extremism. Some argue that the Islamic State group continues to inspire individuals to commit acts of terror.
